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Magazine for Architecture and Design

Flying visit: Design in Poland

Design from Poland? Is not known by everyone. But it's absolutely worthwhile to look at the hustle and bustle of the local scene. So follow us on our tour to Gdynia, Gdansk and Warsaw to the hotspots and interesting heads of the Polish design.

by Anna Moldenhauer | 7/11/2017

The Gdynia Design Days took place from June 30 to July 9, 2017 at the Gdynia Design Centre – for the 90th time. On show were current projects by young designers and students from the School of Form, prototypes and collections compiled specially for the festival, such as “Manuba”.

“Adam Mickiewicz Institute”, a venerable cultural institution, presented a total of 100 examples of Polish design from the past century, the “ABCs of Polish Design” during the Gydnia Design Days. No less than 25 Polish illustrators and graphic designers translated the ideas into visual pieces. And a picture book reflecting the exhibition is scheduled for publication in September.

Not to be forgotten in the “ABCs of Polish Design”: Teresa Kruszewska’s 1958 outdoor armchair with its steel frame, and “RM58”, dating from the same year and designed by Roman Modzelewski: the organic shape and fiberglass-reinforced polyester covers were quite unprecedented back then.

The current illustrations authentically highlight the designs, such as the graphic design courtesy of Agata Dudek for the china figures created by Mieczysława Naruszewicza and Marian Sigmund’s “A587” chair, both dating from 1957.

Polish candy “Ptasie Mleczko”, which translates as “bird’s milk”, was dreamed up in 1936 by Polish confectioner Jan Wedel and has been one of the most popular tongue-tempters in east Europe ever since. Ada Buchholc captured the fascination with the foamed sugar pralines in an illustration.

Product design that’s a must for any Polish children’s room: The “Bajka” slide projector dating from 1953 that provides short picture stories.

In a former armaments factory in Gydnia the “Tabanda” designer trio are busy tweaking new ideas: With a preference for 1960s design, they create flexible furniture and accessories.

from l. to r.: Designers Tomek Kempa, Megi Malinowska, Filip Ludka founded “Tabanda” in 2009. Next year they will be presenting their work at international interior fairs – namely at the imm in Cologne and the ICFF in New York City.

Studio 1:1, domiciled in Gydnia, takes a multidisciplinary approach: From retail design for fashion stores such as “Reserved” through interior design and exhibition design to product designs such as the “K3” wardrobe, they combine the skills of architects and designers.

Maria Jeglinksa is one of the most successful young designers and has already worked for Ligne Roset and Galerie Galerie Kreo in Paris as well as with Konstantin Grcic.

For the “Autor Rooms” boutique hotel, which opened in 2015, she created not only a carafe and glasses with a curved base and striking handles, but also a matching vase, with glass cut to reflect the light.

Work in progress: In Maria Jeglinkska’s studio there are stacks of prototypes of her work.

You can take a seat on the perfected designs, for example at the 4-star “Autor Rooms” boutique hotel in Warsaw. Or on her “The little black” chair, which references the Warsaw coffeehouses of the 1950s and 1960s.

All of the rooms in the restored old townhouse in Warsaw are exclusively outfitted with works by creative Polish minds, such as Mamastudio, Segiet Oniszh, Maria Jeglinska, Mateusz Baumiller or Nicolas Grospierre.

Maria Jeglinksa’s designs for “Autor Rooms” include a tripartite set of mirrors.

In “Room 1410” in the exclusive hotel, the bathroom is integrated into the room like a walk-through stage set.

At Muzeum Miasta Gdyni in Gdynia, the show “Oskar Zięta. Polish Designs Polish Designers” runs thru Nov. 12, 2017 and offers a summary of Zieta’s works, including this current “Wir” and “Nawa” projects, outsized sculptures for the public space.

Zieta designed the “J-Chair”, made of aluminum, steel and stainless steel for Museum Jerke in Recklinghausen – the only museum of contemporary Polish art outside Poland. The model with the leather covers was presented at the 2017 Salone del Mobile 2017.

The narrative touring exhibition “Roundabout Baltic” at Muzeum Miasta Gdyni in Gdynia combines contemporary design from the Baltic states of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, and is expected to tour all eight.

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